Testing standards for waterproof and water-repellent fabrics

Water repellent, also known as water repellent, abbreviated as W/R, is a hydrophobic compound deposited on the surface of the fiber. There are pores on the surface of the fabric, and air and water vapor can still pass through (through post-finishing). Generally Water droplets will form on the fabric (like lotus leaves). But it doesn’t really block water. Water will still seep inside if it stays for a long time. W/R treated fabrics will lose their effectiveness due to cleaning and prolonged use. (The water-repellent here should include what we often call water repellency, as well as water repellency.)
Common tests include:

AATCC 22-2005 Water repellency test of fabrics-spray method
AATCC 193-2005 Anti-wetting: Water repellency/ethanol solution test,
AATCC 118-2007 Oil Drainage: Hydrocarbon Resistance Test
GB 12799-1991 Safety and Hygiene Performance Requirements for Oil- and Water-Repellent Protective Clothing (Abolition, No New Standard Replacement)
Water resistance, water resistant/water proof (here should refer to water-repellent and breathable fabrics), generally refers to making a rubber base on the bottom of the fabric, which is divided into two types: coating and lamination. Coating is often called PU coating. lamination is a layer of water-repellent material attached to the back. This is the real water-blocking. Generally, the surface of water-blocking fabrics is divided into those with W/R and those without W/R. W/R+W/P is certainly better than pure W/R or W/P.
The test standards are: BS EN 20811-1992 Determination of water penetration resistance of fabric fibers Hydrostatic pressure test
In terms of specific performance, it can be distinguished from two aspects:
(1)
Water-blocking products are more durable than water-repellent products and have more stable physical and chemical properties
Water-repellent products generally do not lose their effectiveness due to cleaning and prolonged use.
(2)
Water-repellent products have a higher water pressure resistance index than water-repellent products, usually at least 3000MM.
(3)
Applied to the specific function of work clothes, the main function of water-repellent treatment is to reduce the adsorption of water by the fabric, so that water can be “pushed away” on the surface of the fabric; the water-blocking treatment is a completely impermeable barrier, regardless of whether the fabric is It absorbs water and keeps it out.
(4)
Water-blocking products need to be tested for water pressure resistance, while water-repellent products need to be tested for exposure to rain. The latter generally does not use PU coating, but uses super water-repellent additives, whose additives are mainly organic fluorine compounds.

The above explanation is the difference between fabrics that are water-resistant and fabrics that are water-repellent. However, in daily life, personal opinions are different. Specifically, it is based on what kind of test is used to infer whether the customer’s requirements are water-repellent or water-repellent.

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